This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Bones can become fractured due to high impact or stress, or as a result of a medical condition that weakens the bones, such as osteoporosis. For example, the force of a fall on an outstretched hand can result in a distal radius fracture. Incomplete fractures are fractures in which bone fragments are still partially joined, while complete fractures are fractures in which the bone fragments are completely separated. Depending on the severity, treatment of fractured bones can include aligning the bone fragments to their natural positions, called reduction, and maintaining the natural positions while the bones heal, called immobilization.
Immobilization can be achieved using non-operative procedures and/or surgical procedures. In non-operative procedures, casts, splints, or other external fixation devices can maintain the natural positions by immobilizing joints above and below the fractured bone. When treated through surgery, orthopedic nails, screws, plates, and wires can hold the bone fragments together more directly. The bone fragments can be held together by compressive forces, which can be applied so that upon the ingrowth of new bone, the fragments heal together and restore strength to the fracture site.
Accordingly, there is a need for methods and apparatuses for applying compressive force between bones and/or bone fragments to maintain alignment and assist healing. There is a further need for methods and apparatuses that are easier to use intraoperatively to accommodate variation in bone sizes and shapes, and/or locations of bone fractures or sections.